Jack Snow (writer)
Encyclopedia
John Frederick "Jack" Snow (August 15, 1907 – July 13, 1956) was an American
radio
writer
and scholar, primarily of the works of L. Frank Baum
. When Baum died in 1919, the twelve-year-old Snow offered to be the next Royal Historian of Oz, but was politely turned down by a staffer at Baum's publisher, Reilly & Lee
. Snow eventually wrote two Oz books: The Magical Mimics in Oz
(1946) and The Shaggy Man of Oz
(1949), as well as Who's Who in Oz (1954), a thorough guide to the Oz characters, all of which Reilly & Lee published.
In his second year in high school, the precocious Snow created the first radio review column in American journalism, in The Cincinnati Enquirer
. After graduation, Snow pursued a career in print journalism and primarily in radio, with periods in teachers college and the U. S. Army. He named the Ohio
radio station WING, and spent seven years with the National Broadcasting Company
in New York.
Snow also wrote a short story, "A Murder in Oz," for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
, but the editors rejected it, and it was posthumously published in The Baum Bugle
. That story has been published in a collection titled Spectral Snow, which collects several of the horror
stories Snow sold to popular magazines, such as Weird Tales
. (Snow published five stories in Weird Tales over the space of two decades: "Night Wings," September 1927; "Poison," December 1928; "Second Childhood," March 1945; "Seed," January 1946; and "Midnight," May 1946.) Dark Music and Other Spectral Tales was an earlier such collection, published in 1947. There is a good deal of overlap, but each anthology contains stories not found in the other. The eponymous story has been anthologized in other collections.
For a number of years, Snow worked for WNBC
. In 1944, he attempted to get NBC to produce a radio series based on the stories of fellow Weird Tales author Ray Bradbury
. Later, Bradbury agreed to write the foreword to Dark Music, which was initially only to include a dozen of Snow's best stories, but the publisher padded it with Snow's juvenilia
. Bradbury rejected these additions as "patently unpublishable", balked at writing the foreword, and Bradbury's name had to be blacked out of the already printed book jackets. Snow wrote to Bradbury "You are a literary craftsman with ambitions to become a skilled and recognized artist in the field. I have no such ambitions. I want to write because I enjoy it."
Anthony Boucher
praised Who's Who in Oz for its comprehensive set of character sketches, plot synopses, biographical notes, and "skilled discussion of many arguable points in the chronology and history of Oz"."
There have been rumors over the years of a third unpublished Oz book by Snow, entitled Over the Rainbow to Oz (involving either Polychrome, the rainbow
's daughter, or an early history of Oz), but no manuscript has ever been discovered.
Snow's address book of Oz fans, discovered after he died, became the basis of the mailing that established The International Wizard of Oz Club
.
The Baum Bugle winter 1987 issue contains biographical and bibliographical information about Snow as well as critical analysis of his horror output.
He is buried in an unmarked grave in Piqua, Ohio
, his birthplace.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and scholar, primarily of the works of L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
. When Baum died in 1919, the twelve-year-old Snow offered to be the next Royal Historian of Oz, but was politely turned down by a staffer at Baum's publisher, Reilly & Lee
Reilly & Britton
The Reilly and Britton Company, or Reilly & Britton was an American publishing company of the early and middle 20th century, famous as the publisher of the works of L. Frank Baum.-Founding:...
. Snow eventually wrote two Oz books: The Magical Mimics in Oz
The Magical Mimics in Oz
The Magical Mimics in Oz is the thirty-seventh in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the first written by Jack Snow. It was illustrated by Frank G. Kramer.-A new "Royal Historian":...
(1946) and The Shaggy Man of Oz
The Shaggy Man of Oz
The Shaggy Man of Oz is the thirty-eighth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the second and last by Jack Snow. It was illustrated by Frank G. Kramer....
(1949), as well as Who's Who in Oz (1954), a thorough guide to the Oz characters, all of which Reilly & Lee published.
In his second year in high school, the precocious Snow created the first radio review column in American journalism, in The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Cincinnati Enquirer, a daily morning newspaper, is the highest-circulation print publication in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The Cincinnati Enquirer, a daily morning newspaper, is the highest-circulation print publication in Greater Cincinnati (Ohio) and Northern Kentucky. The...
. After graduation, Snow pursued a career in print journalism and primarily in radio, with periods in teachers college and the U. S. Army. He named the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
radio station WING, and spent seven years with the National Broadcasting Company
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in New York.
Snow also wrote a short story, "A Murder in Oz," for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine is an American monthly digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime fiction, particularly detective fiction...
, but the editors rejected it, and it was posthumously published in The Baum Bugle
The Baum Bugle
The Baum Bugle: A Journal of Oz is the official journal of The International Wizard of Oz Club. The journal was founded in 1957, with its first issue released in June of that year . It publishes three times per year, with issues dated Spring, Autumn, and Winter; Issue No. 1 of Volume 50 appeared in...
. That story has been published in a collection titled Spectral Snow, which collects several of the horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
stories Snow sold to popular magazines, such as Weird Tales
Weird Tales
Weird Tales is an American fantasy and horror fiction pulp magazine first published in March 1923. It ceased its original run in September 1954, after 279 issues, but has since been revived. The magazine was set up in Chicago by J. C. Henneberger, an ex-journalist with a taste for the macabre....
. (Snow published five stories in Weird Tales over the space of two decades: "Night Wings," September 1927; "Poison," December 1928; "Second Childhood," March 1945; "Seed," January 1946; and "Midnight," May 1946.) Dark Music and Other Spectral Tales was an earlier such collection, published in 1947. There is a good deal of overlap, but each anthology contains stories not found in the other. The eponymous story has been anthologized in other collections.
For a number of years, Snow worked for WNBC
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
. In 1944, he attempted to get NBC to produce a radio series based on the stories of fellow Weird Tales author Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
. Later, Bradbury agreed to write the foreword to Dark Music, which was initially only to include a dozen of Snow's best stories, but the publisher padded it with Snow's juvenilia
Juvenilia
Juvenilia is a term applied to literary, musical or artistic works produced by an author during his or her youth. The term often has a retrospective sense. For example, written juvenilia, if published at all, usually appear some time after the author has become well-known for later works.The term...
. Bradbury rejected these additions as "patently unpublishable", balked at writing the foreword, and Bradbury's name had to be blacked out of the already printed book jackets. Snow wrote to Bradbury "You are a literary craftsman with ambitions to become a skilled and recognized artist in the field. I have no such ambitions. I want to write because I enjoy it."
Anthony Boucher
Anthony Boucher
Anthony Boucher was an American science fiction editor and author of mystery novels and short stories. He was particularly influential as an editor. Between 1942 and 1947 he acted as reviewer of mostly mystery fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle...
praised Who's Who in Oz for its comprehensive set of character sketches, plot synopses, biographical notes, and "skilled discussion of many arguable points in the chronology and history of Oz"."
There have been rumors over the years of a third unpublished Oz book by Snow, entitled Over the Rainbow to Oz (involving either Polychrome, the rainbow
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc...
's daughter, or an early history of Oz), but no manuscript has ever been discovered.
Snow's address book of Oz fans, discovered after he died, became the basis of the mailing that established The International Wizard of Oz Club
The International Wizard of Oz Club
The International Wizard of Oz Club, Inc., was founded during 1957 by Justin G. Schiller, a then thirteen-year-old boy.The sixteen charter members, some of whom continue to make valuable contributions to the club, were garnered from the mailing list found among the papers of the recently deceased...
.
The Baum Bugle winter 1987 issue contains biographical and bibliographical information about Snow as well as critical analysis of his horror output.
He is buried in an unmarked grave in Piqua, Ohio
Piqua, Ohio
Piqua is a city in Miami County, Ohio, United States. The population was 20,738 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.Piqua was one of the cities that experienced severe flooding during the Great Dayton Flood of 1913....
, his birthplace.